Orig. published May 24, 2019

Here is the introductory email I sent this morning to John Demers, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security–the one who has just indicted Julian Assange for espionage. 

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from: Alison Maynard
to: nsd.public@usdoj.gov
date: May 24, 2019, 9:24 AM
subject: Assange prosecution

Please convey this message to John Demers, who I see from the AP report this morning is leading the witch hunt against Julian Assange.

Mr. Demers, this prosecution is wholly misdirected, unconscionable, and infuriating to me personally.  There is utterly no “security concern” I have ever seen expressed by the government of the United States which cannot be characterized as simple hegemony, an immoral power play for the benefit of a select few, none of whom have anything in common with the interests of the American public.

Be advised that you do not represent anyone I know, or anyone whose opinions I respect, in your pursuit of Mr. Assange.  Your activities have no relationship whatsoever to the most fundamental of the laws you took an oath to uphold, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.  You think the Lord is smiling on you.  Well, this American citizen is NOT.

So hear it from me:  I want journalists, whatever their nationality, to be free to publish information about the nefarious activities of government, as Assange was doing, without fear of the vindictive U.S. Justice Department’s hammer coming down on their heads.  I don’t even understand how you can accuse a non-American outside the country of espionage in the first place–and I don’t care about this stupid and imaginary grievance you have trumped up against him.  I DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID CONCERN WITH “ESPIONAGE”!   I have a right to know what my evil government is doing, that’s number 1, and I am outraged by the vengeful pursuit it has been engaging in against the messengers bearing news it does not like, including Chelsea Manning.

I want to list out a long string of obscenities here to convey the real wrath I feel.  I hope you appreciate my restraint.  But know that, now that I have a name, you will be the number one focus of my blogging in the near future, I will be watching what happens, and what I ultimately post will be much better thought out than this email.